carbuff wrote:
I'd love to transplant them to join my Hostas on the north side of the
house, but I'd be devastated if they didn't survive the move. I could
easily leave them where they are (hey, with 1/2 an acre, I've got lots of
leeway) but they are so far from the house that they won't be enjoyed.

What to do??

If you are worried about killing them, leave them alone. Cypripediums
can be fairly picky about soil composition, moisture and light. They
have a delicate rhizome and roots. If you do transplant, do it in the
fall after the foliage has died or in early spring before new growth.
Be prepared for them to die or fail to bloom for a number of years. If
you are not experienced with terrestrial orchids, I suspect that death
of the plants is the most likely outcome.

If you get seed capsules, try sprinking the dry seed around your
hostas. If the soil is good and the necessary fungus is present, some
seedlings may result. Your best bet would be to purchase some
artificially propagated seedlings to experiment with.

In the meantime, enjoy them where they are. They are lovely plants.

Nick